How Long Does a Custom Website Take?

The stages, and what each one waits on

Every stage is quick when it has what it needs. Projects slow down at the hand-offs, when one side is waiting on the other.

1. First call: Your business, your customers and what the site has to do. Waits on: finding a time.
2. Proposal: Scope, price and timeline in writing, usually within a week of the call. Waits on: your approval.
3. Copy and design: Every page written and the full site designed, then up to three rounds of revisions. Waits on: your answers about the business, your photos and your feedback on each round.
4. Build and testing: The approved design custom-coded and tested on phones and desktops. Waits on: very little. This is the part that runs on the studio's schedule.
5. Launch: The site goes live on your domain with basic SEO in place. Waits on: access to your domain registrar.

Changes after launch go through Site Care, with a five-business-day turnaround.

What adds time, and how to keep it short

What adds time	Why	How to keep it short
Photos aren't ready	Layouts are designed around real images; stand-in photos mean redesigning later.	Gather what you have before kickoff, or book a shoot early.
Feedback comes back slowly	Each revision round waits on your notes.	Block an hour for each round and send notes in one message.
Several people must approve	Every extra decision-maker adds a loop.	Name one person who gives final sign-off.
Many different kinds of page	Ten pages from one template are quicker than ten different layouts.	Group similar pages, such as services or treatments, into one design.
A new logo at the same time	The site can't be finished until the identity is.	Settle the logo first, or plan for the longer timeline.
Custom connections	Linking to a booking platform is simple. Bespoke integrations need building and testing.	Start with a link to the tool you already use.
Domain access	Launch can't happen without the registrar login.	Find it now. Here's how, if a past designer has it.

What's built into our process

We write the copy. Copywriting is included, so you aren't stuck drafting pages between other work. You answer questions; we write.
One person, start to finish. There's no hand-off between a salesperson, a designer and a developer.
Defined revision rounds. Up to three, each with a clear set of changes, instead of open-ended back and forth.
A timeline in writing. The proposal states it before any work starts.

Before kickoff: a checklist

Your logo files, in the best quality you have
Photos you own, or a plan for photography (ours is $85 an hour)
Your services and prices, even as a rough list
Two or three websites you like, and what you like about them
The name of the one person who signs off
Your domain registrar login
Any date the site must be live by, such as an opening or a season

Common questions

Can a custom website be built in a week?

Not with the copy written for you and three rounds of revisions. A template site can go up faster, because the design and structure already exist. A custom one is designed around your business, and that takes weeks, not days.

Does a redesign take less time than a new site?

Sometimes. Existing photos and copy can save time, but a redesign also means planning which old pages move, merge or redirect so you don't lose visitors who arrive at old addresses.

What if I'm slow to send things?

The launch date moves with it. Content is the biggest variable in any website project, which is why the checklist above is worth doing before kickoff.

Comparing quotes? Read what a high-end website costs in Chicago and the questions to ask before you sign. Our process in full is on the pricing page.

Start a project Or (630) 509-8822

Sources

Hexxen, Chicago website design: published build tiers of one to two months (starter), two to three months (growth) and three to six months (fully custom). Checked November 4, 2026.
Elimenti's timeline and process: our pricing page.

How long a custom website takes